St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-08-06
SANDWICH ISLANDS.
Interesting Facts Concerning the History
of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

These islands, frequent references to
which have recently appeared in the
newspapers, lie in the North Pacific
ocean, about thirteen days ride by
steamer from San Francisco, and
almost midway between the United
States and Japan. They were Giscov-
cred by Captain Cook, in 1918 He was
received upon his first visit with delight,
and sacrifices were offered up in his
honor; but the next year, on landing in
kalekaua bay, of the Island Of Hawaii,
he was attacked and slain by native.
His bones we're preserved and worshiped
by the priests until the abolition of
idolatry in the present century. The
group consists of twelve islands, of
which eight are inhabited When Cook
visited the place each island had separ-
ate chieftain, but one Kamehama, chief
| of Hawaii, who had taken quite fancy
| to Europeans and their inventions, and
had built several men-of-war at the be-
ginning of this century, united them all
under himself His son of the same
! name succeeded in 1919, and abolished
idolatry and the taboo. The next year
was signalized by hhe advent of Ameri-
can missionaries from the Society Islands,
and the reduction of the kannaka Ian
guage to writing. At one time British
officer without authority seized one of the
islands, but his act was promptly dis
countenanced by the home government,
and subsequently the French interviewed
and tried to force their rule upon the
natives. These two acts led to the guaran-
teeing in 1914 by the United States, Eng
land and France of the independence of
the islands. After that French influence
was banished, English minimized and
American ever since upon the ascendant.
The last king, Lunallilo, dying in 1874
without heirs kalakaua, the present mon
arch, was elected by ballot. The present
heir to the throne is sister of kalakaua,
wife of an American.
The population is about 80 900, distrib-
uted as follows: Native, $4,000; Chi
nese, 5000; mixed, 1000; Americans,
1000; the rest being English, French,
Germans and Portuguese The natives
belong to the Malay race, and are distin-
guished by their copper-colored skin,
wavy hair, fiat noses and thick lips.
They have considerable intellectual ca
pacity and most of the natives can read
and write They are very fond of pleas
ure, and are fast dying out, for when
Cook visited the islands there were up
ward of 100000 of the natives; in 1923
there were 10000, in 1882 100000 and in
1880 only 45 900 The cause of this is the
introduction of foreign diseases amongst
them and their lax morals. Their former
religion was an idoatrous one, in which
human sacrifice, cannibalism, polyg-
amy and infanticide were recog-
nized. Females were, of course, under
such a system vastly the inferior of males
Their religion had, however, one redeem
ing feature. Like the ancient Jews and.
Greeks, they had sacred Enclosures, TEN
pies or cities Of refuge which were in
violate The heart of the fallen chieftain
was eaten by the elect who believed in
that way they inherited his manly quail
ties. AT the time of the death of Kane
hama l. the chief officers were very much
as to what to do with his
corpse, but the proposition to consume
it was met with such disapproval that its
advisers had to hang their heads in
shame. The work of the missionaries
has established Christianity as the re-
ligion of the country.
The government has to deal with the
same perplexing question that we have
the Chinese-but is no nearer solu-
ton. They come over in herds and cul
tivate the plantations which the Kama
kas are too lazy to do. Their cheap labor
has driven almost all other out of the
market. The government, to fill the gaps
eft by the dying out of the natives, is in
Vlting Polynesians from the neighboring
Stands and desires Portuguese. Amer
cans are very much in favor, and prop
osltion to annex the islands to this cOun-
ry would be joyfully received. The chief
products are sugar rice, coffee and arrow
DOT. There is kind of potato called
oy the natives Poa, which grows without
my cultivation, and upon which they
argely subsist, together with dogs which
hey fatten upon it.
The Motion Wasn't Seconded.
Here is d ray of sunshine that is worth
eadlng. The story is a true one as well as
me which illustrates the stupidity and lgnor-
nee OF some Of our officeholders who get
here because no one else wants the office.
\ few days ago case was on trial before
Justice Of the peace on Grand Island The
plaintiff presented his evidence and rested"
made motion for a 1 non-sGit on the usual
round. The Justice was nonplussed. He
onsulted with friend and finally said to
he defendants attorney: Pm sorry. but
III have to deny the motion because it was
lot seconded" l don't know what Hugo
i'd but he declares that when he tries case
t Grand Island again he'll take some one
long to second his motion-Bufalo 1smsa